Former US president Jimmy Carter warned Monday of the risks of sliding into a Cold War with China and called on the powers to find common cause on African development.

Marking the 40th anniversary of his January 1979 normalization of relations with Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, Carter voiced concern that both countries were increasingly describing each other as threats.

"If top government officials embrace these dangerous notions, a modern Cold War between our two nations is not inconceivable," the 94-year-old former president wrote in The Washington Post.

"At this sensitive moment, misperceptions, miscalculations and failure to follow carefully defined rules of engagement in areas such as the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea could escalate into military conflict, creating a worldwide catastrophe," he warned.

Carter, who has devoted his post-presidential career to eradicating poverty, said that the "easiest route" to cooperation between the United States and China was in Africa.

"Both countries are already heavily involved there in fighting disease, building infrastructure and keeping peace - sometimes cooperatively. Yet each nation has accused the other of economic exploitation or political manipulation," Carter wrote.

"Africans -- like billions of other people around the world -- do not want to be forced to choose a side."

"By working together with Africans, the United States and China would also be helping themselves overcome distrust and rebuild this vital relationship," he wrote.

The United States has stepped up warnings to developing countries about Chinese assistance, accusing Beijing of wooing countries with projects that become debt traps.

US-China tensions have soared in 2018 over trade disputes, although President Donald Trump has frozen the latest planned tariff hike and on Saturday reported "big progress."

S.Leone ex-defence minister released amid arrests
Freetown (AFP) Dec 31, 2018 - Police in Sierra Leone fired tear gas and rubber bullets Monday at supporters of the opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) party, injuring one, during protests following the arrest of a former minister for alleged corruption.

"Dozens of people were arrested during the protest for disorderly conduct at the headquarters of the opposition APC party on Monday", police said.

"Police fired teargas canisters into our party office and one of our supporters was severely wounded", Karamo Kabba, a senior APC member told AFP, adding the protest had been peaceful.

"We are not inciting anybody to perpetuate violence against the Government, but we are against 'witch hunting' of former government officials", APC secretary general Alhaji Osman Yansaneh told AFP.

Former defence minister Paolo Conteh was arrested Friday but released on bail Monday, police said.

The Minister of Information and Communication Abdurrahman Swarray in a statement accused former president and APC head Ernest Bai Koroma of inciting tribal violence.

"It's an irresponsible statement by the APC calling for tribal violence in the country", The Minister of Information and communication Abdurrahman Swarray said.

Conteh was detained along with Sannah Marrah, the defence ministry's former director general, at the Criminal Investigation Department on Friday.

Both face charges, the Sierra Leone Anti-Corruption Commission said.

The commission added officials are investigating allegations of corruption over procurement of military vehicles, uniforms and rice in 2015 in a procurement contract worth a reported $10 million.

On his release, Conteh was received by jubilant opposition party supporters holding placards and singing political victory songs in the capital Freetown.

President Julius Maada Bio succeeded Koroma nine months ago after a tumultuous election campaign in which he targeted corruption, ending a decade-long rule by the APC.

Soon after he took office a government report commissioned said "rampant corruption" in the former administration had led to the "near collapse" of the West African nation's economy.

The government has approved a commission of enquiry, with hearings expected to begin in January 2019.

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Qatar sends 24 armoured vehicles to Mali
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